


Dark Alleys - Episode 1

by DarkMarauder, SunshineIta



Series: Dark Alleys - A Daredevil Fan Fiction [1]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Adaptation, Marvel Universe, Multi, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-23 03:09:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17675300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkMarauder/pseuds/DarkMarauder, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineIta/pseuds/SunshineIta
Summary: In the aftermath of the Midland Circle's wake, Hell's Kitchen is up for the taking. Only the dark alleys of the neighborhood know who will come out victorious. The Devil and the Light... Or their enemies?





	1. Chapter 1

Thank to our wonderful beta reader, Breejah! You can follow her work [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah).

Cover art made by my amazing co-creator, [DarkMarauder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkMarauder).

Hope you enjoy our fan fiction! Leave kudos and comments! Happy reading!

* * *

* * *

**Lux E. White** <lux.white@gmail.com>

_ To: Karen Page <karen.page@nybulletin.com> _

Good morning,

I’m Lux White, freelance writer and journalist. You may have seen some of my work in different newspapers nationwide. 

I’m currently investigating some disappearances for a series of articles. I was wondering if we could meet to exchange some information on the matter. 

I’m particularly interested in the disappearance of the defense attorney Matthew M. Murdock. 

To my knowledge, you were employed by Nelson & Murdock, before the firm got dismantled. A source told me you kept contact with the said Mr. Murdock and his associate, Mr. Franklin Nelson. I wondered if I could discuss Murdock’s disappearance with you.

I’m looking forward to meeting you, as soon as you can.

Regards,

Lux White

Freelance writer & journalist

New York City, USA

* * *

**Karen Page** _<_ _karen.page@nybulletin.com_ _>_

_ To:  _ Lux E. White < _ lux.white@gmail.com _ >

Hi,

I’m glad, yet surprised, you decided to contact me. This case is important to me, as you probably rightfully guessed. Since I’m also looking into the matter, a meeting is in order. Maybe we’ll connect some dots.

I will be at Josie’s, a bar in Hell’s Kitchen, around 8 p.m. 

Kind regards,

Karen Page

Journalist

New York Bulletin

* * *

 

Lux hesitated. She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, a few meters from the bar Page suggested. However, she was close enough from the establishment to see the bright neon ‘Josie’s’ sign in the window. Still, uneasiness began to make its way to her guts.

What if Page decided not to show up? What if Lux investigated a matter she shouldn’t? Not that it would be a first, but if Matthew Murdock’s life got threatened by her prying in the dark corners of Hell’s Kitchen…

The woman took a long, deep breath, trying to pull herself together. She clenched her fist on the strap of her computer bag. Finally, she put one foot in front of the other and entered the bar.

She found the strawberry blond journalist easily, Page already having a beer at the counter. She seemed to exchange pleasantries with the barmaid, which Lux suspected of being the said Josie herself. Lux approached the two women. She cleared her throat.

“Hi, uhh… Karen?” Karen turned towards her. 

“Oh, yes, hi. Lux, right?”

“Yes, hi. Nice to meet you. Can I call you Karen?” Karen nodded her head in approval, smiling.

“I’ll call you Lux, then.”

Karen proposed to go have their talk in a quieter corner of the bar. Grabbing her purse and coat, the bulletin journalist showed Lux to a table at the far end of the establishment and took out a small pile of notes from her bag. Lux sat down in front of Page, getting out a notebook and a pen.

“Thanks for agreeing on us meeting,” said Lux, before she returned Karen’s smile from earlier. “I know my email came out of nowhere, but… After a month of research, I… I thought maybe you could help me. Maybe we can help each other.” Karen looked at Lux with undivided attention.

“I was surprised, yes. Everyone’s been telling me to give up on Matt’s disappearance, but… Can’t help feeling he’s still out there, that he needs help.” Karen shook her head, like she suddenly wished her thoughts to be clearer. “Must admit your email made me feel better. Seems I’m not the only one who cares. Anyway... Why did you really contact me? I mean… Why do you care about Matt Murdock? Since no one else does.”

“We crossed paths, at Columbia,” answered Lux, knowing lying would not get her far with Page. “Same university years, but different career plans. I followed his law career through the news, though. He’s an interesting guy. The fights he picks are good material for a journalist. And… I don’t know. For a guy as invested as him… It just feels weird he’s suddenly… gone.” Lux laughed nervously. “I know this may not be too convincing.”

Karen simply nodded. “Matt’s…” She sighed heavily. “He has a way of getting people to care for him. Not  _ just _ because he’s blind. Probably because he tries to do everything by himself.” As she talked, Karen’s icy blue eyes settled on the emptiness behind Lux. She seemed troubled by painful and sad memories. Karen brought her attention back to Lux. “At least, seems like I’m not the only one looking for him. Why don’t you start with what info you have?”

“Before that, I’m curious. Even Franklin Nelson has given up? I thought they were best friends or something.”

“Foggy…” Karen sighed again, this time with annoyance. “Well, I don’t think he believes Matt’s dead. He always says ‘gone’ when he speaks of him. But he’s not looking for him either,” replied Karen, looking down at her beer.

“I see… Have you asked the police to look into the matter?” asked Lux, even if she already knew the answer.

“I mean, yeah, I did, but they’re still cleaning up the debris around Midland Circle. They haven’t found a body yet, and they say they might never find anything. That’s about all they’re willing to say.”

“You… You think Matthew… I mean, Murdock’s disappearance has something to do with Midland Circle? Was he investigating it or something?” Lux opened her notebook and took a swift note. It confirmed some of her theories, but she never thought Karen would be so straightforward with the information.

“Matt always puts his nose in stuff he shouldn’t,” answered Karen. “Hell, I do too.” She sighed. “I know he tried to connect other criminals to Midland Circle, but I don’t have much more detail. And he did disappear after getting to their building for I don’t know which investigation of his. Then, Midland Circle imploded.”

“Do you think it’s intentional from the authorities? To keep everything to themselves?” Karen shrugged. 

“That, and my guess is they don’t know anything, actually. Surprised everyone when it happened. Hell, they wouldn’t have known Matt was in there if me and Foggy hadn’t said anything.”

Lux stayed silent for a second, searching for what to ask or say next.

“That’s what I know. What did you find out on your end?” asked Karen.

“Same as you, in some ways. There’s a shitload of untold things regarding Midland Circle and what happened. To think Matthew’s disappearance could be linked…” Lux took a moment to think. “I tried to search his background, with the few things I knew from university in mind, but he’s very private. No one seems to really know who the true Matthew Murdock is.” Lux discerned a shift in Karen’s facial expression, like the woman knew something of importance, but could not tell about it. Lux decided to act like she didn’t witness anything in the journalist’s behavior. “It’s just… strange. Makes the evidence impossible to find. I’m afraid I’ll soon convince myself he’s ‘gone’ too. Thought I would contact you before I got to that conclusion.” Lux marked a pause. “Just hoped us talking could spark something.”

“I see.” Lux heard some disappointment in Karen’s voice. “I thought maybe I hit a stroke of luck with you reaching out. Too bad, I guess.” Karen frowned for a second, before she took a cellphone out of her purse. “Well, it’s true, I’m still waiting for one of my contacts to get back to me on Matt’s possible whereabouts. Maybe we’ll get lucky there. Don’t know why I didn’t think of  _ her _ before.” Karen had said the last part for herself, nearly as a whisper.

“What kind of contact are we talking about? Or who? I mean, no to pry, but maybe I already spoke to them,” said Lux, careful.

“You haven’t. And she wouldn’t be happy with me if I just went around giving her identity away. Just bear with me. She—”

Karen got interrupted by the sound of a notification on her cell phone. She took a quick look at it and smiled. She showed the text she had just received to Lux.

“Speaking of the devil,” let Karen out, before she smiled.

“Well, that’s what I call perfect timing.”

“She’s scary sometimes. She’s always watching, but she delivers,” replied Karen with a shrug.

“Ever heard of that church? And why the fuck a church?” 

“Matt is a practicing Catholic, really close to Father Lantom, who’s responsible for Clinton Church. Maybe there’s a lead there.”

“Never thought of it before?” Lux risked to ask.

“Didn’t think they would have any ways to know about Matt, other than he’s missing. We had a memorial for Matt there. What bothers me is that if Matt went to that church for whatever reason, he should’ve gone home by now.”

“Would you be fine with me accompanying you to the church, tomorrow? I know I just popped in your life, but… A mystery unsolved is the death of me. And Matthew’s… I don’t know... Special?” Lux noted another change of expression on Karen’s face. She almost felt like a romantic rival to Page for a fraction of a second. “He’s a friend I lost a long time ago, but wished I hadn’t.” Karen looked at Lux for a moment, frowned, then sighed. 

“Yeah, of course you can come. You might see or hear something I would miss. I’ll go there tomorrow morning around 9. We can meet there. Just in case, let me give you my number.”

Lux took Karen’s number, then gave the journalist hers. They exchanged a few pleasantries, as if they suddenly felt the need to know each other better. They left Josie’s before they finished their beers.

On her way to her apartment, while she walked in the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, Lux had this weird feeling of being at crossroads. As if she went ahead with trying to find Matthew Murdock, her destiny would take a totally different direction of what she would have expected.

She realized she hoped it did.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank to our wonderful beta reader, Breejah! You can follow her work [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah).

Hope you enjoy our fan fiction! Leave kudos and comments! Happy reading!

* * *

 

Early that morning, Myrkur Elansdottir opened the front door of her coquette house in Reykjavik before the woman on her doorstep even knocked. When she saw the old Chinese woman in front of her, a smile drew itself at the corner of her mouth.

“My dear Madame Gao,” welcomed Myrkur in a joyful voice, which made her Icelandic accent more pronounced. “What brings you here? Without notice, even.”

The old woman simply stood there, staring at Myrkur for an instant, before she  offered Myrkur a slight bow with her head.

“Good day to you, Myrkur. May I come in?”

“Please do. Tea is almost ready.”

The hostess showed Madame Gao inside, then to the living room. Between the two couches, on a small table, cups and plates were already placed, a steaming teapot beside them. Myrkur helped the old woman to sit, then took place on the other couch. She gracefully served the tea, before she took one cup and sat back to look at her visitor.

“What brings you here, Madame Gao? I’m happy to serve you tea, but… I expect more than an exchange of pleasantries.” A lock of Myrkur’s white and blond hair got loose from the bun she had at the bottom of her neck. She curled the strand of hair behind her ear. Madame Gao took a sip of tea, then put the cup back on the table and looked at the woman in front of her.

“You should know by now that I don’t do ‘pleasantries’,” said the Chinese woman without averting her eyes. “I came here to talk ‘business’.”

A laugh escaped Myrkur. “Oh! I’m worthy of talking business with you, now? I wonder why. Would it be… Hum. Let me think.” She marked a pause, passing a perfectly manicured hand in her hair, looking straight at Gao with her bright blue eyes. “Would it be because of how you and the other Five _fucked up_ at Midland Circle?” Gao sighed.

“The past is of no importance. What matters is the future and whether or not you want to be part of it,” she replied.

“Of _no_ importance? Funny. I did tell you some forty years ago Alexandra Reid would cause the downfall of the Hand. But no one cared about what I had to say. I was even cast out of this mighty organization because I asked for its leadership to take another path. You wouldn’t be here if you did act on that so said past, _Gao_.”

“If you wish to get an apology from me, you will be disappointed. I do not regret the decisions I have made, then or now.”

“True, you were always a coward. Dealing your heroin in a corner, while you left the lead to Reid. She could do anything she wanted,” Myrkur said angrily, while she put her tea cup back on the table in front of her with a loud noise of dishes hitting on another.

“You may see it as you will, Myrkur, but I am still here and still fighting to go home. And I offer you the same today. Will you try to reconquer K’un-Lun with us? We, _you and I_ , could lead together. A new dawn for The Hand, per say,” said Gao, ignoring the earlier outburst of her hostess.

“The only lead I’ll accept is if _I’m_ appointed as the true leader of the Hand. Nothing more, nothing less. With my future sight ability, I can prevent another fall of the organization. I can make it rise back up to its ancestral glory. And if I can bring _her_ back at my side… You know the Substance won’t be an issue anymore. We’ll be unstoppable.” Myrkur rose up from the couch, now talking to Gao from one of the windows in the room, her back facing the old woman.

“You may lead The Hand on the one condition that all decisions are discussed with me first. I will not waver on this”

“But what authority do you think you have left, Gao? Please, enlighten me.”

“I have earned the respect of many followers throughout the ages. Loyal followers that still respect me even after Midland Circle. I have no need to ‘enlighten’ you of anything, dear. After all, without me, you are not getting back in,” calmly replied Gao.

Myrkur took a moment to think about what she would say next. The emotional part of herself wished to get into an open war with Gao, to crush the woman at this very moment. But the rational part of her mind also spoke strongly to Myrkur. Getting on Gao’s side could actually be the way to take the lead at some point; to finally get rid of the Hand’s old leadership that had been corrupting the organization for so long. And it’s not like that particular plan wasn’t already in motion.

“Fine. I’m… sorry, Madame Gao. I let my feelings overwhelm me for a second. How do you think we should–”

Suddenly, Myrkur brought one of her hands to her solar plexus, a strange sensation making her Chi vibrate in a singular way. The pulsating sensation dissipated as fast as it had come. It only lasted for a few seconds, but enough to bring shortness to her breath and soreness to her whole body. Madame Gao also had her hand on her heart, trying to catch her breath. It seemed she had felt the same energy pulse as Myrkur.

“What just happened?” whispered Myrkur, yet somewhat hopeful for the future.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank to our wonderful beta reader, Breejah! You can follow her work [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah).

Hope you enjoy our fan fiction! Leave kudos and comments! Happy reading!

* * *

“Lux!” Karen shouted as she approached the brunette standing still in front of Clinton Church. “Sorry I’m a little late. Need my coffee in the morning.”

“I just arrived. Don’t worry about it. I had something to finish up for a paper before heading here.” Lux paused. “Are you… Uhh… Ready for this?”

“... No?” scoffed Karen. “I mean, I thought I was, but I’m scared this turns out to be nothing. If it is, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“There’s only one way to find out. Shall we?”

Karen nodded and went ahead to enter the church. Lux carefully stayed behind her, taking a second to close her eyes and open them. In a moment, everything around her had a shining aura around it; from people to objects.

Sometimes, Lux forgot she had a gift, a sixth sense, abilities which allowed her to use her life energy – her Chi – in manners most people couldn’t. In fact, she mostly saw it as a curse, which got her abused and used as a teenager, before it became a secret she now only shared with her parents. She rarely used her gift, even if it could be quite handy in her line of work. On this particular endeavor, she sensed it would be most useful.

As soon as they entered, a nearly bald man in his sixties, dressed in a suit with the distinctive mark of a catholic priest at his collar, approached Karen and Lux. He shook Karen’s hand with genuine pleasure to see her. When he got to Lux, his aura flicked, the man visibly intrigued about who she could be.

“Welcome,” said Father Lantom. “We are always happy to see new visitors. You can walk around as you like. Let me know if you have any questions or if you’d like a confession.” The priest winked at Lux, smiling warmly.

“Thank you, Father. But I’m… not… Uhh…” Lux, who always felt out of place in a church, mentally shook herself before she continued. “In fact, we would like to talk with you. Karen and I. Would it be possible to go in your office? The matter we wish to discuss needs… Privacy.”

Father Lantom looked surprised for a moment and slowly nodded before pointing to the end of the hallway, behind the altar. “Of course, my office is this way.” He let the two women pass in front of him and directed them behind the church. He led them to a small room with two windows that contained a small desk and large bookshelves on every wall. The man waited for his visitors to take a seat before sitting at the desk in front of them.

“I hope we’re not disturbing your day too much,” said Lux, breaking the silence that had enveloped the room.

“Of course not. It’s always calm during weekdays. The only thing I need to prepare is the kids’ catechism session, this evening.” He paused. “So. What can I do for you?”

Lux looked at Karen, and after a nod from Page, she decided to engage the conversation with Father Lantom.

“I’m a journalist, like Karen. I guess it’s no news for you, concerning her, uhh... I asked Karen the other day about a particular subject, after trying to investigate it on my own. She suggested to come here and ask you about… Well, _him_.”

“Him?” inquired the priest. Lux could see his curiosity piqued, yet his aura shifted in a way that he seemed slightly more on the defensive.

“Yes, Father. Have you had _any_ news about Matthew Murdock, in the past weeks?”

Lux tried to stay calm, even if a flash of cloudy yellow and orange light sparked the priest’s aura around his head, surprising her. The inquiry definitely put him on guard. Father Lantom took a moment before answering.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t heard from Matt since his last confession, a couple of months ago. I thought it was determined that he has perished in the Midland Circle incident, Karen.” He coughed awkwardly, looking at the woman sitting beside Lux.

“You know about Midland Circle, Father?” asked Lux, before she glanced at Page. As if he had been waiting for this question, Father Lantom straightened with confidence.

“I do. The police came here, asking questions. They told me it was brought to their attention Matthew Murdock was in the building when it collapsed… It was truly a shock.”

The man stared at the wall behind them, lost in thoughts, but Lux, who looked closely at any fluctuation in his aura, knew Father Lantom wasn’t telling her and Karen the whole truth. He knew something crucial they both didn’t know; and it bothered her greatly.

“Are you sure you’re telling us all you know, Father?” risked Lux, frowning. She would not leave this church unanswered. “I mean… Maybe the authorities told you something they didn’t disclose to us.”

“I’m afraid not, my child. All I was told was that he most likely perished in the building and that they’re looking into his closest acquaintances. I still don’t know what he was doing there. It’s a great loss to all of us. He was… Family to me, in a way.” The priest sadly shook his head. “I’m sorry I can’t offer you any kind of closure. Wouldn’t it be best to leave the past in the past? That’s what Matt would’ve wanted.”

Lux sighed, looking at Karen again. Page had a defeated look on her face and her aura only showed bitterness, anger, and sadness. Lux bit her lower lip, unsure of what to do next. Silence fell on the room, and she sensed the priest only wished them to be on their way. “Thank you, Father,” said Lux, as she got up. “I’m sorry we disturbed you. We—”

Lux turned her head towards the window to her right, her Chi suddenly drawn to it. Outside the window, she saw another building,clearly a part of the church.

“What’s that building over there? Sorry to be asking of you again,” inquired Lux, trying to sound as innocent as possible. Father Lantom turned to the window Lux looked out of.

“That’s our orphanage, Clinton Church’s Home for Children. It’s actually where Matt grew up.”

“He grew up there?” asked Lux, startled. “I thought he lived with his father, Jack Murdock.”

“Yes, until Jack died. Then, he was brought here.” The priest calmly looked at her, but with a discernible annoyance in his voice. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Karen?”

The woman shook her head, grabbing her purse on the floor, before getting up. They thanked Father Lantom for his time, then got out of his office, followed closely by the priest. Lux continued to follow the orphanage from outside the windows of the church, but the stained glass made it hard for her to see anything out of the ordinary. Still, the pressure around her solar plexus made her uncomfortable. What or who in that orphanage triggered her Chi in such a way?

When the two women stepped out of the church, Karen sighed. “We shouldn’t have bothered him.”

“Did you know about Matt growing up here? At the orphanage?” asked Lux, not really paying attention to what Karen had just said.

“No… No, I didn’t. He never told me. I don’t think even Foggy knows.”

“Do you think that’s the information your informant wished us to find?” Lux asked, as Karen suddenly stopped walking.

“No, that can’t be it. Why would she do all of this just to tell me where he grew up? Does all of this have something to do with where Matt grew up?!” Karen responded, as she started walking fast again. “I’ll look into the history of this church and orphanage. Maybe there’s something I missed.”

 _And I’ll do some research of my own,_ thought Lux, following Karen, still troubled by her Chi reacting to the sight of the orphanage.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank to our wonderful beta reader, Breejah! You can follow her work [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah).

Hope you enjoy our fan fiction! Leave kudos and comments! Happy reading!

* * *

Lux, mostly hidden in an alley, looked at Clinton Church on the other side of the street. She looked at her watch. Nearly one in the morning; she had to act fast, or she would lose her opening – or the guts to get the answers she hoped to find. She made sure the hood of her black sweatshirt covered most of her head and face, then swiftly crossed the street. She passed the entrance of the church, then entered the small courtyard next to it. Lux curled up in a dark corner, before she closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling a few times, as quietly as she could. When she reopened them, the area became a color spectrum.

  
The church wasn’t her goal – the orphanage was, especially after she felt so attracted to it the afternoon before. Father Lantom had been kind with her and Karen, but evasive; and, as she had seen in his aura, not totally honest with them. He knew something about Matthew Murdock and it had to do with the orphanage. Yes, she could have made regular research, pressed on Lantom again for answers, but Lux knew it would be a waste of time. Not that she practiced that kind of field journalism often, but it wasn’t her first rodeo. Sometimes, when you want answers, you better get them yourself.

  
Lux looked around her, trying to determine if there were any cameras in the church’s orphanage courtyard. Seeing her course clear, she carefully reached a side door on the building’s left wall. The building was old and known in Hell’s Kitchen. She had easily managed to find a blueprint of it online. Lux tried the door handle, but as she had guessed, it was locked. Now crouching in front of the entrance, she got a small leather case front her back-jean pocket, then took two lockpicks out of it. After a few tries, she managed to pick the lock. She carefully turned the door handle, her heart racing. She quietly sighed with relief when no alarm got triggered by her forced entry. Again, she crouched in a corner of the area she entered, hiding behind a massive dresser.

  
What next? Lux had managed to enter the orphanage, yes, but that was only a small part of why she had gone to all that trouble. She peeked away from the dresser, trying to discern any color that would trigger her senses. Surprisingly, she immediately got interested by the second floor. By her research, she knew it held an office or two, but also the dormitories. Lux realized she had put a hand on her solar plexus, as if to stop her Chi front freaking the hell out. The second floor it is, she thought, trying to give herself courage.

  
As soon as she got upstairs, it’s like her senses got sharper. Something… No, someone; in a room near the middle of the corridor, from who emanated a complicated - yet familiar? - aura, the mystical and threatening light taking various shades of grey. It’s like the individual had stepped into a menacing spotlight in a dark alleyway. A hand on her solar plexus again, she slowly got to the room. She had to repress a cry of surprise when she got to it.

  
It was Matthew Murdock, unconscious and on his back in a small single bed, covered in bandages, some soiled with blood, especially on his left side. Two windows beside the bed, with night stands under them, completed the tableau. One of the night stands had a Bible on it, a water bucket and a few rolls of gauze. On the other laid a massive wooden rosary, the cross turned towards the man. A crucifix hanged on the wall between the windows, just on top of his head.  
Lux realized her breathing had gone heavy. Her hands had started to shake, her legs to tremble. "You’re… You’re alive," she whispered, trying to convince her body to move towards him. She finally managed to put one foot in front of the other and get to his bedside. She sat on a wooden chair near the bed.

  
He had multiple cuts, bruises and microfractures – even with her abilities active, there were too many to count – and a nasty, doubtlessly profound wound on his left side. "The hell happened to you?" murmured Lux, beginning to scan his aura, one body part at a time. She analyzed the various shades of greys emanating from him. The one which worried her the most was, as expected, the deep wound on the left part of his abdomen, just below his rib cage. The physical aura around it had a dense, dark grey color. If it turned to black… Lux moved her pale green gaze to his face. He clearly suffered intensely from his wounds. Also, with the blindfold like aura on top of his closed eyes, she knew she had the real Matthew Murdock in front of her. The man in front of her was blind; and not by birth.

  
Lux bit her lower lip, suddenly feeling uneasy, nearly dizzy. She probably could manage to help his recovery, but it had been so long since she used that part of her abilities… She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, trying to calm the anxiety taking hold of her. "You probably don’t remember me anyway," she said quietly, now rubbing her hands against each other to give them a certain heat. "I’m Lux White. We kind of know each other… From before. You… We…" Lux gathered her thoughts. "I came here only for answers, but to find you here, in that state… I think I can help you, Matthew. I-I don’t even have to touch you. It won’t be invasive. I think…"

  
Naturally, no answer came from him. Lux exhaled slowly, trying to get her breathing to a normal pace, while she focused her gaze on the man’s left side. It took a while before she could finally feel her Chi shift towards her forearms, all the way to the tip of her fingers. Lux approached her hands towards the wound—

  
And he grabbed her wrist, making her jerk in fear. Even weak, his grip had a force she would not have thought possible. What disconcerted her was the weird shift in her Chi – and his? – the instant he touched her. The color both their aura took around his hand and her forearm was indescribable - the most captivating and beautiful color she had ever seen.

  
"What are you doing?" he said in a sharp, yet tired tone, bringing her back to reality.  
"I… err…"  
"Who are you?" he asked again, Lux hearing a hint of panic in his voice he had miraculously kept down.  
"I’m here to help—"  
"I don’t need help. I don’t need saving."

  
He jerked in pain, possibly getting aware of all the suffering affecting his body. He started to shift in his bed, his breath getting jerky, his arms and legs tense. Lux got up from the chair and rushed to the room’s door. She closed it, hoping for the rest of the orphanage to still be asleep. When she got her attention back to Matthew, he was in a delirious state.

  
"Where am I… What… What happened… Where is… Elektra… Leave me… No… Leave me…"  
"Fuck it," mumbled Lux, back at the man’s side. She grabbed each of his wrists, trying to hold them on the mattress. She got one knee on the bed, to give herself balance. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to refocus her Chi in her forearms. Again, their auras merge around where they touched. Lux decided to ignore the weird manifestation. "Calm down, Matthew. Breathe. You need to breathe."  
"Let me… Let me go…" He tried to free himself from her grasp, but she managed to keep him relatively still.  
"I said: breathe. I won’t let go until you do."

  
Lux tried to empty her mind. She pressed harder on his wrists, feeling her energy descend towards her hands. To her surprise, their breathing slowed down, beginning to synchronize. Matthew progressively stopped moving on the bed, so Lux let go of his wrists. She moved her hands towards his chest, hovering over it. They now breathed in unison. Lux got her knee off the bed, then pulled the wooden chair with her foot. She didn’t care about the noise anymore – or just didn’t think about it. She sat down, her hands still over him. Gradually, Lux got to his side, and hovered over his wound. She heard him sigh with relief, while her hands’ green aura mixed with the dark grey surrounding the injury.

  
"Who are you?" asked Matthew, somewhat peacefully, a few minutes later.  
"You probably don’t remember me."  
"I know your voice… I never forget a voice…"

  
Silence fell on the room; a serene atmosphere, in which a man could rest an instant, and a woman to feel grounded, in harmony with herself.

  
Unfortunately, this moment of peace didn’t last long. Or did it?


	5. Chapter 5

Thank to our wonderful beta reader, Breejah! You can follow her work [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah).

Hope you enjoy our fan fiction! Leave kudos and comments! Happy reading!

* * *

“Finally,” whispered a muscular man. Breathing in and out, he slowly managed to slow his breathing, then his heartbeat, both shaken by a major Chi vibration. He was down on his knees, on a bamboo mat, a lit candle and a burning bowl of incense in front of him. If it hadn’t been for the candle light, the room he meditated in would have been shrouded in darkness.

For years, he had hoped for them to meet; in fact, ever since Stick had started to train this Murdock kid, and the White girl to have her Chi awakened by her own mentor. Unfortunately for her – and for the Chaste – the Hand had been quicker to move and get hold of her. True, an exiled Hand operative had trained the girl; but still, she had learned about Chi and martial arts through the enemy’s techniques. White had managed to escape the villainous grasp of The Hand, thanks to the unexpected cleverness of her parents. However, Stone knew, at least from the intel the Chaste had obtained over the years, that part of the girl’s knowledge, training, and abilities had been locked away by her former mentor.

“Why such a fool, Stick?” murmured Stone to himself. The former leader of the Chaste had given up on the chance of Murdock and White to come across each other, before his death. True, they had in the past, and nothing had happened. But the circumstances probably affected their Chi in someway, preventing their respective life forces to converge in a distinctive and mystical way. But on this day, something had triggered what he had always hoped for.

Someone entered the room, but Stone made a swift move with one of his massive arms, telling the intruder to leave him alone. The door closed and the man stretched a bit before returning to a meditative posture. His Chi still vibrated from the disturbance. He needed to refocus; fast. The Chaste would have to move before the Hand, and the later had more operatives than the crippled organization he now led.

Thinking was needed. Planning a necessity.

“All in due time,” whispered the man again, closing his dark brown eyes, opening his thoughts to mindfulness and enlightenment.


	6. Chapter 6

Thank to our wonderful beta reader, Breejah! You can follow her work [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah).

Hope you enjoy our fan fiction! Leave kudos and comments! Happy reading!

* * *

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, while Stone got back to meditating, and Lux to begin using her healing powers on Matthew Murdock, Myrkur turned towards Gao, breathless and euphoric. The old Chinese woman seemed as troubled as she was, yet, not as ecstatic as Myrkur.

“This… This is _her…_ Finally,” said the Icelandic woman. “I know it’s _her_ . It’s her Chi. Her’s and someone’s I can’t figure out. And this… This Chi wave... I didn’t know life energy could be this powerful. Any idea who she’s in contact with? Ever felt something like this before?”

The chinese woman took a moment to compose herself, then murmured, thoughtful. “I thought he was dead.”

“Who? Who’s dead?”

Madame Gao stood up and looked to the sky towards the window, as if she could see something up there. She shook her head.

“It’s a man from The Chaste. I thought he perished in the Midland Circle explosion, but evidently, he’s still alive. This Chi wave, your certain it’s your _protegé_ ’s?”

“I would recognize her Chi, even on the other side of the planet. The other Chi signature doesn’t resemble Stick’s or Stone’s. I know the Chaste too well to think this man you’re talking about is from this filthy organization. Also, Stick’s dead and Stone probably is too. Who is _he_ , Gao?”

“He is a troubled man and although he doesn’t see himself as such, he is part of the Chaste. He was Stick’s boy, from what I understood. What about your student? How can she create such a powerful Chi wave?”

“Stick’s boy? He never had children. Could it be that blind kid he trained for a while?” Myrkur paused, frowning. “Anyway. I’ll find out soon enough, now that resources will be available to me. As for Lux White… I never trained someone with a potential like hers. Much so, I sealed most of her powers when she got taken from me. Maybe being in contact with this man reactivated something. Still. It’s quite something…” Myrkur got lost in her thoughts for a few seconds, starting to pace the room. “If we want to rebuild The Hand, we do need Lux White’s incredible powers to manipulate Chi. This girl is the key to our salvation, to our immortality. One of our focus should be to locate her and to have her brought to me. I might be able to–”

“If she’s with that man, it might be easier than you think,” interrupted Gao with a smile. “I have someone in contact with a friend of the man.”

“And who’s that contact, if I may ask?” The old woman stayed silent for a moment, as if unsure if she should disclose that information.

“It’s Scorpio’s daughter,” she finally said.

“That brat’s still alive? I thought her lost, or dead,  in the slums of New York long ago.” Myrkur chuckled. “True you always had a soft spot for the girl.”

“I kept my promise to her father. To look out for her, if he died,” replied the Chinese Woman, without showing any emotions. “However, she never _really_ asked for my help. As a matter of fact, she came back to me two years ago, wanting to help The Hand. That ‘brat’, as you put it, owns the slums now. She is one of my best asset in Hell’s Kitchen.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it, Gao. Your trust can be... _Easy_ to obtain. But, you have the benefit of the doubt. For now.”


	7. Chapter 7

Thank to our wonderful beta reader, Breejah! You can follow her work [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah).

Hope you enjoy our fan fiction! Leave kudos and comments! Happy reading!

* * *

Back in Hell’s Kitchen, Lux’ breathing started to get heavier, sweat to form on her forehead. She lost track of how much time had passed, still focused on Matt’s left side with her healing energy. Of course, she should stop and get on her way before someone caught her or before she lost consciousness, but something kept her at the man’s bedside. Seeing him as beaten up as he was made her heart ache. What happened to him? Was he really at Midland Circle when it collapsed? And if so,  _ how _ did he survive? Lux moaned in pain, starting to lose her focus. She got weaker by the minute and the agony he felt all over his body was starting to transfer to her. But leaving him like this…

“Who are you?”, a voice said angrily behind her. “What are you doing here?” Lux hadn’t heard the footsteps coming through the hall and hadn’t noticed the female individual approaching.

“I… I can explain… Please…” Talking demanded such an effort. But she had to keep going. “I’m helping him. Please…”

The woman was in her fifties, dressed in a typical nun attire. She looked at Lux with a dubious look. She slowly approached the bed and looked down at Matt. She probably saw his face had showed improvement and wasn’t contorted in pain like before. The sister rose her eyes to Lux.

“What are you doing to him?”

“Healing… Hea… I can’t… Anymore…”

Lux fell on the wooden floor, with a small cry of pain. She tried to get up, but it just made her vision blurry and her head pound. She needed to lay down, to sleep…

She collapsed a second later at the nun’s feet.


End file.
